Jets’ Ville Heinola expected to miss ‘some time’ with ankle infection

When speaking to the media on Friday, Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel revealed some unfortunate news.

Defenseman Ville Heinola isn’t participating with the team during training camp due to an ankle infection. The infection is from a screw that was inserted into his ankle during surgery last season. Arniel told the media that this is not a short-term ailment.

“Not so good,” Arniel said. “This isn’t day-to-day, so we’re going to just come back around to this in a week or so and see where [Heinola’s] at…a little more serious than we thought.”

Arniel said the team expects Heinola to be out for a while.

Heinola was projected to challenge for one of the last spots on the blueline in Winnipeg, especially after signing a two-year contract–with an $800,000 AAV–this past July. He had recently finished the final year of his entry-level contract with an AAV of $1.075,833.

Last October, Heinola suffered a fractured ankle in the Jets’ final preseason game. He didn’t return to game action until he was reassigned to Winnipeg’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. The 23-year-old ended up playing 41 games, scoring 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points. Heinola hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since Jan. 19, 2023, though his first few years with the team has seen him go up and down between the Jets and the Moose, spending most of his North American pro career in the AHL.

Heinola has been with the Jets organization since the team took him in the first round, 20th overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft. He joined the team the following season, also spending time with Liiga club Lukko, with whom the Honkajoki, Finland nave had spent the previous season.

He has played in just 35 games over his career in the NHL, registering a goal and 10 assists. In 152 AHL appearances, the Finnish blueliner has totaled 23 goals and 79 assists for 102 points. Heinola has also registered eight points in 11 Calder Cup Playoff games.

Heinola made a name for himself thanks to his play on the international stage with Team Finland. He played for Suomi at the 2017 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2019 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship. Heinola also was on the Finnish squads in three straight IIHF World Junior Championships, winning gold in 2019 and bronze in 2021, where he was named to the tournament all-star team.